Jamaica: Minister calls for more agriculture

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Roger Clarke has called on farmers to grow more and consumers to eat more local produce. The call comes as part of a plan to reduce the country's import bill, which is currently running at approximately US$800 million per annum.

He accepted that all food needs could not be met domestically, but said there was an opportunity to reduce imports by 30%.

"We can make a dent on the food import bill and we can save up to US$300 million if we produce more of the things that we use locally," Minister Clarke said.

He also suggested that there was scope for more export trade.

"Despite the challenges, there are a myriad of opportunities to close the gap and reap rewards. If we want agriculture to grow, we have to do two things; we must produce more of what we eat and export more," he added.